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June 2011Hope for Life News
Nadine Bartholomeusz-Raymond, who is the program manager forregional communities with Beyond Blue, stated in an interview for
We are looking forward to continuing our training,
ABS Rural that the higher rates of suicide are because of the
resources and initiatives in the second half of 2011. If you
additional stresses in rural communities, with ongoing
would like to know any more about our work or interested
environmental adversity - such as droughts and floods (6/5/2011).in training, please don’t hesitate to get in contact with us.
A survey by the Queensland branch of the Australian Medical
Association found that nearly 60 per cent of doctors have seen, or
expect to see, a rise in mental health problems in areas where the
These depressing facts highlight the need for improved support,
In this issue. we are looking at mental health in regional
education and services in regional and remote Australia – not onlyin the area of suicide prevention, but also in mental health, which is
and remote Australia. With the 2011-12 Federal Budget delivering a
a major contributor factor to suicidal behaviour.
10-year roadmap for mental health reform and with TreasurerWayne Swan allocating $2.2 bil ion over five years via a National
What are the key issues?
Mental Health Reform package, it is hoped that mental health inregional areas of Australia wil receive the boost that it so
Access to appropriate health care and mental health services
in many regional and remote communities is limited meaningthat many conditions go undiagnosed and untreated. In many
This issue’s feature article wil look at the current state of mental
cases the local GP is the sole provider of health care in a
health in regional Australia, the issues involved as wel highlight
community meaning that there is a lot of pressure on them to
some programs and organisations that are working hard to make a
have the knowledge and skil s to identify signs of mental
il ness or suicidal tendency and then provide the appropriatetreatment.
Please read our information about a new Hope for Life initiativecalled ‘Hope for Life Champions’, you may know somebody who
91% of Australia’s psychiatrists have their main practice in
metropolitan areas meaning that either people from regionaland remote communities need to travel long distances for
We also review the book ‘Against Depression’ by Peter Kramer and
treatment or ‘do without’ (National Rural Health Al iance,
let you know about about upcoming suicide prevention &
A shortage of workers in the rural health sector often means
The current state of mental health in regional Australia.
that people are not able to be provided with the fol ow-up orout-patient care that they require.
Rates of suicide and suicide attempts are higher in rural andremote populations of Australia, with very remote regions
The ‘ocker’ male Australian culture encourages men to ‘suck it
having suicide rates more than double that of major capital
up’ and not be ‘wimps’ when confronted with adversity or
difficulty. Expressing or talking about emotions and feelings isnot widely accepted in the Australian culture, particularly in
Males who live in rural and remote communities are
Australian outback/regional communities who pride
particularly at risk with their suicide rates being 1.7-2.6 times
themselves on being rugged, self-sufficient and tough.
higher than their urban counterparts. (Commonwealth ofAustralia, 2010).
Farmers and local business owners often feel an ‘obligation’ tothe community as the success of their business often has a
Evidence shows that the prevalence of depression is no
significant impact on the economic state of the community
different in rural communities than it is in metro communities
(through employment, spending etc). This may result in them
in the city, the rates of suicides are higher in rural
experiencing feelings of stress and anxiety, but also having
communities, because untreated depression is a higher risk
reluctance to seek help for these feelings.
Natural disasters such as drought, cyclones, floods, bushfiresand pest infestations also contribute to mental il ness and
The Salvation Army Hope for Life Suicide Prevention & Bereavement Support
The Salvation Army Hope For Life Program grateful y acknowledges the financial assistance of the Australian Government Department of Health and Ageing through the National Suicide Prevention Strategy.
have a very direct impact on income and wel being for rural
Access to violent and immediate means of death (e.g.
Australians (National Rural Health Al iance, 2009).
firearms) raises the completion rates of suicide in regional andremote Australia.
The seasonal employment nature of many regional andremote communities adds to the financial stress and social
‘Gatekeepers’ in regional and remote communities include
isolation felt by many people who live in these areas.
community health nurses, teachers, local governmentpersonnel, sports coaches, and smal business owners. Most of
The existence of factors such as ‘suicide clusters’ found in
who have not had any training in suicide prevention or suicide
many Indigenous communities also adds to the increased rate
of suicide in regional and remote Australia.Who are Hope for Life Champions?Hope for Life Champions
Hope for Life Champions are everyday people who are
The Hope for Life Champion Initiative is al about change at a
passionate about suicide prevention and supporting those
local level and helping communities to recognise that they
who have lost a loved one through the tragedy of suicide.
can make a positive difference. By enlisting the help of
Champions are also people who want to advocate for
motivated, educated and committed people (Champions)
change at a local level and are committed and motivated
who can communicate effectively, advocate and engage
with their local community, this project aims to build the
One of the key messages of Hope for Life is that everyone
capacity of Australians to help each other.
has a role to play in suicide prevention and bereavement
Specifical y, through the work undertaken by Hope for Life
support. The Champions initiative gives people in the
Champions, it is hoped that communities wil :
community an opportunity to make a difference by
• increase their awareness of issues relating to suicide
Champions seek to engage others in suicide prevention and
• create more linkages between those at risk and existing
bereavement support activities. They educate people about
issues and ways to help. They also advocate on behalf of
• become more proactive and active in not only suicide
those at risk, those bereaved and the Hope for Life project
prevention activities, but also in providing support to
by building awareness and creating community linkages at
those who have lost a loved one through suicide (e.g.
undertaking QPR and Hope for Life training on line); and
Hope for Life Champions are special people who volunteer
• improve their ability to respond appropriately to those
to be a shining light of hope in their community.
at risk of suicide and those bereaved by suicide.
Champions are not employed on a paid basis by The
Role of Hope for Life Champions
Salvation Army to act in this role, but rather they look for,and create, opportunities to champion the suicide
Hope for Life Champions have three main elements to their
prevention cause as part of their everyday life. They may do
role; engagement, community awareness and public
this by offering to speak at their local school assembly,
putting up posters on local notice boards, visiting
community centres and other relevant organisations to talk
Engagement: In order for a Champion to successful y
about Hope for Life or undertaking other activities in their
promote change within their community they must be
local community that wil help to educate others about
engaged with it. This may mean meeting new people,
suicide prevention and bereavement support issues.
creating mutual y beneficial networks and learning about thelocal community; what business exist, what social supportservices are available, what social and leisure activities are
Why do we need Hope for Life Champions?
popular and who are the people that live there.
Suicide can happen to anyone. Suicide crosses al boundaries
Community Awareness and Public Education: One of the
including age, socio economic position, gender, ethnicity and
biggest issues in suicide prevention and bereavement
family status and yet suicide is a preventable form of death.
support is that many people stil do not understand the
If people feel supported, if they have access to a listening
issues involved or have been wrongly educated. Dispel ing
ear, if they are given hope that tomorrow wil be better, that
the myths and removing the stigma that surrounds this topic
the future can be brighter, people who are suicidal can go on
wil only be done through talking about the issues,
to live happy, productive and fulfil ing lives.
identifying the facts and sharing the stories.
Hope for Life Champions can do al of this, and are needed in
Advocacy: Advocacy simply means encouraging change and
al walks of life; in schools, in the workplace, in churches, in
the Hope for Life Champions are agents of change within
youth groups, in sporting clubs and in al areas of the
their community. They are advocating for those who are risk
of suicide (now and in the future) as wel as for those who
The Salvation Army Hope for Life Suicide Prevention & Bereavement Support
The Salvation Army Hope For Life Program grateful y acknowledges the financial assistance of the Australian Government Department of Health and Ageing through the National Suicide Prevention Strategy.
are bereaved through suicide in the hope that through
For more information and to obtain a Champion application
greater community engagement and improved
understanding, people wil be better able to reach out andhelp each other.Please contact
It is important to note that Champions are ambassadors forThe Salvation Army and the Hope for Life project and
E | [email protected]
therefore, it is important that Champions act professional y
T | 02 9356 2120
and responsibly when performing their duties as Champions.How to become a Hope for Life Champion
M | 0435 967 265www.suicideprevention.salvos.org.au
Hope for life is recruiting Champions and we wil providetraining and resources which wil equip Champions to
become Agents of Hope in their local community.
Book Review - ‘Against Depression’ by Peter Kramer
Kramer wrote this book after being deluged by stories of depression, depression research, and patients after he wrote ‘Listening to Prozac’.While touring for this and his previous works, he would often be asked a question, "what if Van Gogh had taken prozac?" The real question he'sbeing asked is whether depression should be cured, or whether curing depression would take away something that is an essential part of beinghuman. In ‘Against Depression’ Kramer helps the reader understand exactly what depression is and what it is not; That it can affect a person'sheart literally as wel as figuratively. He seeks to divorce human emotions, which he celebrates, from the il ness of depression by focussing on thescience of the brain. Even those who have a vast knowledge of depression, personal or otherwise, wil find this book a valuable educational tool.
For information on these and other upcoming events please visit
14th NSW Rural Mental Health Conference (22 Jun-24 Jun)Rural & Remote Mental Health Conference 2011 (9 Aug-11 Aug)12th International Mental Health Conference (24 Aug-26 Aug)Grief and bereavement - International Perspectives (Australian Centre for Grief & Bereavement)
Sydney (17 & 18 October); Melbourne (20 & 21 October)
Training in Suicide Prevention and Bereavement SupportWould you know what to do? Would you know what to say? Would you know where to go for help?
Are you interested in finding out more about Information, resources and training for those that support people who areat risk of suicide or lost a loved one to suicide? Hope for Life wil help you to develop the skil s, confidence andknowledge to respond to these situations.
The Salvation Army Hope for Life Suicide Prevention & Bereavement Support
The Salvation Army Hope For Life Program grateful y acknowledges the financial assistance of the Australian Government Department of Health and Ageing through the National Suicide Prevention Strategy.

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